Hurt
by RJ11
Summary: “Someone hurt Cameron in the house you sent her to investigate to.” Careful: mentions of attempted rape. House's slightly OOC but this can be accounted for. Early Season 3 before Tritter. HouseCam and ChaseCam friendship. Plz R&R.
1. The Incident

Disclaimer: I borrowed this idea from an early episode of The Closer. Neither House MD nor The Closer belong to me as you already know.

-!-

"You need to come down now."

The snippy edge in Chase's voice would have been a clear indication to anyone knowing him even from not long that something was definitely the matter. Not to House however who chose to ignore it as his eyes remained intent on his GameBoy. "Cuddy tripped on her face and you want me to come pick her up?"

Chase eyed House almost with pity. He could be an ass when he wanted to but Chase was fully aware of the fact that House was not gonna take the piece of news he was about to deliver to him too well. But someone had to tell him, however painful it was gonna be for Chase to say the words and for House to actually listen to them. "Someone hurt Cameron in the house you sent her to investigate to."

House's head jerked upwards to meet Chase's eyes. A sickening sensation was already kinking his stomach and he hoped, he almost _prayed_ it was not what he was thinking. "Hurt how?" He rasped in a barely audible voice.

"Someone _tried_ to rape her."

Chase's emphasis on the word 'tried' brought absolutely no solace to House. He pounded on the desk with his fist reflexly and grabbing his cane, he bolted out of his office towards the elevator, with Chase hot on his heels.

"Where is she?" House asked Foreman who was waiting anxiously near the nurses' station.

"In the exam room with a female member of the scientific police who's gathering evidence on her and Cuddy's stitching a wound on her forehead."  
House sighed and then asked quietly. "Anyone knows what happened?"

"I do." Chase replied. "I was in the lab when I got a call…"

-!-

_That morning…_

"Hello my lovely babies. How are we today? I see that your mug's empty Chase. Let me fill it for you."

"His being so cheery is giving me the creeps," Chase whispered to Cameron who was next to him at the glass-topped table in the diagnostics room. She bit back a smile.

"Hey I heard that. Someone's not being nice," House wagged a finger at him as he took a seat.

Cameron leaned forward in her chair to sneak a look at the piece of paper in House's hand. "List of what?"

"List of the people I wanna jump. And before you ask, no, you're not one of them."

Cameron smiled at him. "I know. But it's gonna count as incest you know. You just called him baby."

House could not figure out what Cameron was implying but he decided to just play along and therefore put on his best poker face.

Chase gazed at her, confusion etched on his face. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know about House's slashy relationship with Wilson? Well the no longer existing relationship. House's scouring around for a new male lover."

"You're gay?" Chase croaked out in disbelief.

House smiled inwardly. Taking Cameron's cue, he batted his eyelids at Chase. "You meet three of my variables - blonde, blue eyes and Aussie."

Chase looked like he had been shoved hard in the stomach. "Shut down. Shut down." He muttered to himself.

"You mean shut up isn't it?" Cameron frowned at him.

"No I'm telling my mind to shut down. Images of House trying to kiss me are freaking me out!"

Cameron burst into laughter while House smirked at her.

"God, you're so gullible. Can't you see these two are messing up with you?" Foreman rolled his eyes at Chase from where he stood near the door. "Got a case," Foreman announced as he handed the three files. "Thirty-two year old woman suffering from intense abdominal pain, fever, cough, diarrhoea, fatigue and lethargy. She keeps slipping in and out of consciousness. Lab found eosinophils in her blood."

"What? Great! As if one monster wasn't enough," Chase glared at Cameron.

"Sorry," she shot him a placating grin. "She travels every two months to South America or the Caribbean. Could be Bilharziosis."

"It could be so many different parasites," Chase pointed out.

"Chase, Foreman, test her urine and stool for anything you can think of. Cameron, go to her house and see if you can find out anything about where she stays and the activities she does when she is in the tropics. Come back here when anyone finds anything worthwhile. Now scoot!" House waved at them as they started to leave the room. "And Chase?"

"Yeah?"

"Love you," House blew him a kiss. Chase puffed loudly and left with Cameron and Foreman sniggering behind him.

-!-

House could not keep still. He had been pacing up and down his living room for the past hour. The fact that his leg was hurting like a bitch mattered not a whit to him. Usually some scotch, Vicodin and some piano soothed his nerves somewhat when he was restless. Not today. Nothing managed to keep his mind off Cameron. He had not been able to speak to her. Cuddy had come out of the exam room saying that Cameron wanted Chase to take her home and that she did not want to talk to anyone. Chase had at once hurried to get her purse from her locker and had promptly accompanied her home.

House came to rest near his front door and leaned his forehead on it, rubbing his jaw tiredly. Cameron and his little banter at Chase's expense that morning seemed like a million years away. If only he could turn back time to this morning and not send her to that house…Guilt was so foreign to him and now that same feeling was suffocating him. The truth was Cameron had been hurt because of him. He was surely the last person on earth Cameron wanted to see at the moment. She would probably slam the door in his face. It would not be the first time, he thought wryly. House seized his helmet and in no time was speeding away on his motorcycle. Soon he found himself at her doorstep and he knocked on the door, his heart filled with dread. Cameron opened after a while and House took in her appearance – the Band-Aid covering the stitch on her forehead and the puffy eyes red from crying.

"If you don't wanna see me, I'll–" House started.

"I'm glad you're here," Cameron cut him off. "Please come in," she added quietly.

House followed her to her kitchen where he noted she was having fries with a piece of bread.

"Why didn't you call me?" House asked as Cameron sat in one of the bar stools at the kitchen top and resumed eating.

She sighed heavily. "You mean why I called Chase instead of you?"

"No. Why didn't you call me after you called Chase? I wouldn't have reached there as quickly as him, but I would've come you know."

"I know," Cameron replied after a pregnant pause, her eyes boring into his the whole time. "I just didn't want you to see me."

"Why?"

"I didn't want you to see me with my clothes torn apart and like this…" she whispered, her head down to avert House's gaze as she slowly slid out of her shrug and lifted her top.

A look of horror crossed House's features at the sight of her upper arms which were laden with ugly blue-purplish bruises. Her belly and her waist did not look any better. The last straw however was when he discovered the deep bite mark the assailant had left on her shoulder. He thought he was gonna explode. The feeling as though he was an accomplice in a sacrilege by his once-over was making it hard for him to breathe evenly.

Silent tears spilled freely on Cameron's cheeks. House desperately wanted to brush them away. "I want to hold you close to me," his voice came out strangled.

Cameron glanced up timidly. "Why don't you?"

"I'm afraid I'm gonna hurt you even more when I hug you," House admitted earnestly.

Cameron stepped forward and lightly placed her cheek against his chest. House immediately wrapped his arms around her as her silent tears turned into sobs.

-!-

Note: I know nothing about diseases and parasites etc.. I just needed Cameron to go to that house alone.


	2. Musings

Cuddy sat on the couch in her living room, musing about Cameron. She had put such a brave front all the while she had been in the exam room, calmly giving her statement and not once flinching when the policewoman examined her body. It was not as if it was the first time she had come across a victim of attempted rape, but it was the first time the victim was someone Cuddy actually appreciated. Cuddy had never let anyone or even Cameron know about that. Cuddy admired the fact that despite Cameron's early crush on House, she would not approve of absolutely anything House wanted to do with a patient. She would not agree with House's unethical methods but she would eventually cave in if it really was their last resort to save the patient. Cuddy massaged her temple in a languorous way. Her head was throbbing. If she had been that rattled by the events, what must Cameron be going through? She had to find out if she was okay. She supposed a phone call would be correct enough but somehow it did not feel right. She had to see her in person she decided. The problem was she did not know where she lived. Picking up her phone, Cuddy dialled a number from memory.

-!-

Usually when he was tired from a backbreaking day at work, Chase's reflex was to rush home and hit the hay. But today he was in no mood to go home. He had left his car in the car park at the hospital only and had chosen to walk. A sudden cold breeze ruffled his hair and he dug his hands deep in his pockets. It had not been too hard to leave Melbourne. By the time he had left, his mom was already dead since long and he no longer had any contact with his dad. He would miss his friends but he could always visit them when he travelled back there for vacations. What he had missed the most the first few months here had been sunshine. Here it was constantly raining or snowing and on the rare times the sun came out, the natural iciness around somehow always outmatched the warmth of the sunshine. But he had grown accustomed to the cold; learning to like it even as it always managed to invigorate him whenever he was feeling the blues for some reason. But today the cold seeping through his skin, almost causing his blood to freeze, was anything but welcome. It only served to remind him of the awful events of the day; how he had frozen in horror upon seeing Cameron crouched in a corner with her mobile phone to her ear and a bronze statuette tightly clutched in the other hand. Images of the day gushed forward in his mind… Cameron's call when he was in the lab, being breathless as he raced into that house, covering Cameron's trembling, aching body with a long coat he had brought with him, hugging her tightly as she almost collapsed out of relief, the police's arrival there… Of all the persons Cameron could have called, House, Foreman, Wilson, Cuddy, _anyone_, Cameron had called _him_ for help. Him. To say that he had been touched and humbled was so much of an understatement. No one had ever requested his presence for help or even sympathy, not even his dad as he lay on his death bed. Chase knew right then that no matter what happened after their fellowship was over he would keep contact with Cameron. Her friendship meant a lot to him. But right now he decided he had to be by her side. Chase raised his hands to hail the first cab he came across.

-!-

A mug lay untasted on the kitchen table to which Foreman was seated, the steaming hot coffee contained in it long gone cold. Unlike Cuddy or Chase, he was not reflecting on today's events. Instead he had gone down memory lane back to the past two and a half years. He reminisced how he had liked Cameron instantly upon his arrival at PPTH, how he had felt bad upon learning that she had quit after the whole Vogler episode and how he had sprung from his seat to hug her when she had come back to work. Back then Foreman liked to consider as his little sister. That's why Foreman had warned House to nip any budding relationship, should there be one, between Cameron and him on their date since Foreman knew no matter what happened House would eventually end up hurting her in one way or the other. Foreman surprised himself into speculating whether his early life would have been any different if he had had a sister like Cameron; instead of his brother Marcus abetting him to continue with the thefts and violence, maybe a sister like her would have gently but firmly prodded him to give up his delinquent behaviour. Foreman prided himself on the fact that despite his early law-breaking offences, when given the chance he had cleaned up his act, gone to medical school and become a doctor – saving lives instead of threatening to take them. Somehow though, he had reverted to his old self. When, he had no idea. Although his offence had not been as life-threatening as his previous transgressions, he conceded for the first time to himself that he had indeed stolen Cameron's article. He cringed at the recollection how he had pushed her away by pointing out that they were not friends but mere colleagues. How had he become this cold-blooded to be willing to trample his friendship with her in order to satiate his ambition? He was also cognisant of the way a criminal mind worked. If it had not been for Cameron's combative grit with her smashing a lamp on his head, the bastard could have indeed succeeded in raping her and once done, he could have decided to finish with her in another moment of madness. For some reason, this last thought propelled him to his phone.

"Hey."

"Hey can you tell me where Cameron lives? I…I wanna go see her."

"I'm in a cab right now going to her place only. Pick you up in ten minutes okay?"

"Thanks."

-!-

Wilson did not have much of a violent streak in him. None actually, especially none directed towards women. This probably was due to his loving grandma. He had grown up on her firm belief that no respectable gentleman would ever lift his hand on a woman and that, once his grandma had added with a laugh, there was no conflict which could not be solved by just slamming the door and leaving. Wilson knew he must have caused mental weariness to some of his partners in his numerous affairs and marriages. But inflicting physical pain on a woman was inconceivable to him. And today, Cameron had almost been raped. Wilson liked Cameron. In his mind, Cameron had been the only one who had loved House unconditionally. Wilson had sincerely hoped at one time that House and Cameron would end up together. But after Cameron came back after her resignation, House being the paradox that he is, gifted her a corsage _and_ wrecked their date on the same night. Wilson shook his head. And he like a fool had cautioned Cameron not to hurt House should he open up about his feelings. The ringing of his mobile phone halted his musings.

"Lisa."

"James, you know where Cameron lives?"

"I do. You wanna go see her now?"

"Yes."

"Leaving my hotel room right now. Pick you up okay?"

"Thanks James."

"No problem."

-!-


	3. The Response

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who's read the story and especially to those who've left a review or put this story on alert..

-!-

"This girly knock tells me it's Wilson."

At the sound of the light thud on her apartment door, Cameron lifted up from the couch where she had been sitting next to House for the past twenty minutes, quietly giving an account of everything that had happened that day. House limped over to the door and threw back a glance, waiting till she had finished fixing her hair and brushing away the tear stains to open the door. Wilson stumbled in, followed by Cuddy, Chase and Foreman. Everyone collected around Cameron in her living room.

"It's probably a stupid question but you okay?" Wilson inquired awkwardly, feeling strangely restrained by House's presence and the unfathomable expression he was wearing on his face.

Cameron smiled at him. "Much better now. It helps to know that the people you work with everyday do care for you."

"It's a pity though that this sense of care should arise only in the face of tragedy, Foreman's near death, House's shooting, the assault on Cameron…" Chase muttered absentmindedly, almost to himself and only realised he had spoken out loud when he noticed the stricken look on everyone's face and the five pairs of eyes which were fastened on him. "Sorry," he threw his hands up as if in surrender, "It's stress taking its toll on me. I usually think twice before voicing any opinion loud."

"No you're right Chase," Cuddy acknowledged. "But at least we're there for each other when it most matters. Can I talk to you Cameron?"

"I'll just be back." Cameron motioned Chase to follow her to the kitchen and they returned after a few minutes with mugs of coffee for everyone.

"If you want a couple of days off, there's no problem and I suggest…you talk to a psychologist of your choice when you're ready," Cuddy told her.

"No I'd rather not. I prefer to keep my mind busy with work," Cameron decided after some consideration, her eyes fixed on her mug. "But thanks for the advice. I'll schedule an appointment with someone soon."

"Alright. But then you can go home whenever you want. Just inform someone."

Cameron nodded and then turned to Chase. "Robert I…I don't wanna be alone tonight. You mind staying back?" She added quickly but not before having cast a furtive glance in the direction of House, "But I don't have a second bed…"

"So I'll have to sleep on the couch? That's fine by me," Chase reassured her with a soft smile.

Cuddy got up, straightened her skirt and started towards the door. "We better go. Try to get some rest."

Foreman shook Cameron's hand in an awkward gesture. After Wilson kissed her on the cheek and Cuddy gave her shoulder a light squeeze, House approached her and mimicked Foreman but instead of letting go after a couple of seconds, her hand remained into his as he cast her a long downcast stare before bending to plant a small kiss on Cameron's forehead. The other three bade her goodnight and House was already limping down the corridor before she could clearly register the kiss and respond in any way. Letting out a small sigh, she cocked her head towards Chase, who gave her a small smile before closing the door behind him and taking her hand to lead her further inside.

-!-

The three ducklings and House were discussing the symptoms of their latest patient the following afternoon when out of the blue, Cameron sprung from her seat at the table, picked up her white coat which had been hanging on the back of her chair and walked out the door without a word or much of a glance at any of the three. All six eyes followed her through the glass pane till she disappeared out of sight and then Chase and Foreman focused back their attention to House who was wearing a big grimace on his face.

"You go see what you can find in his apartment," House mumbled distractedly as he started towards the door.

"And what does the other do?" Chase asked.

House stopped and swivelled to shoot a look at them. "By 'you' I meant both of you." With this, he wobbled out of the diagnostics room, leaving Foreman and Chase to exchange bemused stares.

-!-

House found himself for the second night in a row at Cameron's door. Pushing back this thought, he rapped on the door with his cane. Mirroring last night, the door opened after a while and before he had completely stepped in, Cameron had already turned on her heel and was already striding back towards the kitchen.

"Let me guess, you wanna know why I asked Chase to stay back last night instead of you?"

"Why did you stalk off like that?"

"As far as I know you're not my psychologist."

"I can't stop blaming myself if you don't talk to me."

It was not what he had said, but rather the way he had said those words - the contrite, almost pleading tone in his voice that made her stop dead and turn round. "What?"

"You got hurt because of me. I sent you there," House pointed out darkly.

Cameron immediately protested. "You're not to blame! You couldn't have known something like that was gonna happen to me there!"

"That's nothing but a small consolation."

Everything about his demeanour – from the ungainly posture with him leaning heavily on his cane, the way he was staring at something on the wall behind her at the level of her shoulder and not meeting her eyes to the light, almost imperceptible throbbing of the veins at his temples – everything screamed guilt. For one moment, the same feeling rippled through her. She could not let him carry that kind of emotional baggage around.

"As far as I remember, you've never felt guilty about anything and it's not today you're gonna start, that too because of me," she declared firmly as she stood akimbo with her eyebrows raised.

House almost laughed out laugh. No matter what happened, the true Cameron, who still managed to surprise him at regular intervals even after more than two years of working together, was never too far away – the Cameron who had both just scolded him for his self-reproach _and_ tried to bring him some comfort at the same time. A smirk appeared on his lips as he took a step forward and came to rest at arms' breath to her. "If you're done solacing me, can we get back to my question?" He egged her on in a gentle voice.

House watched on as Cameron closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "It's stupid really, it's…I feel his hands on me all the time, his weight pinning me down on the bed, his teeth sinking into my skin…" her voice trailed off.

"Do you trust me?"

As soon the question was popped of his mouth, House regretted it. He was sure he did not want to hear Cameron's answer, not when she was gaping at him as if he had grown another head in the space of a few seconds. He was about to tell her not to bother replying when he heard her steady, calm voice. "I trust you more than myself."

That was _definitely_ not the answer he had been expecting. House barely managed to conceal the expression of shock that had threatened to cross over his face but inside his heart swelled to twice his volume, figuratively speaking of course. Spurred by her admission, he dropped his cane on the floor in a swift move and his eyes never leaving hers, said, "I have a radical solution but I'm not sure it's something you'll agree to and also you'll have to help me with it," as his hands moved upwards towards his throat under Cameron's confused gaze.

-!-


	4. The Morning After

It's only after I put the previous chapter online that I discovered two typing errors. Sorry about that. I've been more careful this time around. Again, thanks to everyone who's read the story and especially to those who've left a review or put this story on alert. It means a lot to me.

-!-

House woke up to a wrenching pain in his bad leg. He stealthily reached for the bottle of pills on the night stand and dry-swallowed two Vicodin before rolling back in bed to reflect on the events of the past night.

What he had done was grossly inappropriate, even by his standards. But then he had been acting purely on impulse. He had yanked open his jacket and taken off his clothes down to the last apparel as Cameron looked on with utter disbelief. He honestly thought she was gonna pummel him to the ground when he gently ushered her to the bathroom but she had just stood there, noticeably nervous. So he had taken it upon himself and helped her out of her clothes. He had grown momentarily both catatonic and aphasic upon seeing her gorgeous body, but snapped out of his mooning when he noted the goose bumps that had started to appear on her arms.

They had both stepped in the shower with House making sure the water was neither scalding hot nor too cold. He had proceeded by lavishing her with kisses, first by gently capturing her lips, his confidence growing when Cameron's hands travelled down to his hips as she held him firmly there to support him; so he had moved to her jaw and then her throat, his joy knowing no bounds at the light whimpers escaping from her. But then she made him sit on the side of the bathtub, surely mindful of his leg and in a totally unforeseen move, scooped a bottle from a nearby shelf. In no time she was shampooing his hair. House was a little taken aback but he had recovered quickly enough upon seeing the grin on her lips to return the favour by washing her hair and soaping her body carefully. He had resumed with the kissing and fondling and to his delight, Cameron had been an active participant too this time. What amazed him was considering their history or rather their non-history depending on whichever way to look at it and despite everything that had taken place with her in the last two days they had felt so comfortable with each other; almost natural as if they were long established lovers.

Afterwards, as they had stepped out of the shower, he could see that the ramifications about what had just taken place were already starting to weigh down on her. "Whenever you feel his hands on you, think of me, of _my_ hands and _my _lips worshipping your body," he had whispered hoarsely as he cupped her head and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. He had been about to back out, collect his things and go home when Cameron had grabbed his hand and made her wish clearly known by leading him to her bed. He had refused saying he would not, could not take advantage of her. "House please," she had whispered back. His resolve had crumbled to bits. They had indeed made love; not the needy, mindless sex he had with hookers. Instead it had been slow and sensual love, the kind he had thought he would never experience again in his life.

House cursed himself. He had wasted so much time. All this time she had been there but he had kept pushing her away and ridiculing her love for him. He had to make it up to her. Well he could at least try. There were only four words that could describe in reality how he felt about her. Next to him, Cameron stirred and peeked open her eyes. She lifted a tentative hand towards House and then smiled sleepily as the tips of her fingers grazed his rugged jaw. "I was afraid for one moment you were only a hallucination."

"I love you Allison."

Although Cameron was always the first to arrive at the hospital among the four of them, she was not what one would normally describe as a morning person. Around ten minutes usually elapsed between the time she turned off the alarm and the time she actually got up to shuffle towards the bathroom. However, House's words caused her to snap out of her reverie at once. She stared at him, not sure what meaning to give to what she thought she just heard.

"Aren't you going to say something?" he asked upon seeing her mouth stark open, amusement dripping from his voice.

She cast him a wry smile. "Sorry for not squealing like a schoolgirl who's just heard her first love confession. Last time you told me you love me so that you can swab inside my mouth for the HIV test. Remember?"

Damn, she was right. Looks like he had not chosen the right words. "But the good doctor that you are must have observed that I used your first name this time around."

"Good comeback." A twinkle brightened her eyes as she teased him. "I thought you didn't even like me."

"I lied. Been lying all the time."

Cameron straightened up at the sudden change in his tone and the way he was now fixing the ceiling with steely eyes. She could not believe he had confessed something this major out of his own will. She so badly wanted to ask him what he meant. But what if at the sound of her voice he decided he no longer wanted to elaborate on what he had just uttered out? There was a high probability of this happening; but hope that maybe he wanted to come out clean about his motive gave her enough courage to croak out a small why. Still not looking at her, he lifted three fingers in response.

Cameron searched his face questioningly. "Three…reasons?"

House shifted slightly to his side such that he was facing her once again and nodded at her, prompting her to ask him, "First reason?"

"Old boss, young doctor."

"The age difference's just a number and a number cannot dictate me my feelings," Cameron shrugged. "And as the great Muhammad Ali said 'age is whatever you think it is. You are as old as you think you are'. I'm not young and from what I saw last night, you're definitely not old." Whether it was her reference to the boxer or her compliment about his skills in bed or both, she was not certain as to which caused the manifestation of appreciation she read on his face. She made a mental note to query him later on. "Next?"

"I'm rude and abrasive."

Cameron grinned at him in return to his smirk. He remembered! She had used those same words to describe him the night she had gone to his place to bid him goodbye after her resignation a little less than two years ago. "I still stand by what I said then but you're also straightforward, manipulative, witty amongst so many others. These are all part of your charm; what makes you the person you are and I wouldn't want you to change ever," she commented and almost unconsciously her smile toned down. She knew beforehand as to what could be the third reason but she needed to hear House say it in his own words. "Last reason?"

He retreated to lying on his back but instead of staring upwards like before, his eyes snapped shut. He remained as such for a long moment and Cameron almost wondered at a point whether House had fallen asleep judging from his shallow and even breathing. She did not mind waiting. The fact that he was still on her bed and had not already left meant the world to her.

"Bad leg. Cripple."

He spat those three words with such disgust that it made her heart bleed. Cameron understood that unlike her who had been able to move on after her husband's death with the support of her parents and friends, House was still stuck in the past; stuck to that instant when Stacy's momentous decision changed his life altogether. What she could not register was why he was so critical of himself.

She lightly caressed his cheek with the back of her fingers and he returned his gaze towards her. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "Nature was jealous that there could be so much brilliance and genius in a single being so a flaw was introduced in you in the form of the infarction. However it was of no avail. You still became a renowned diagnostician enjoying stratospheric success. Even nature had to bow down in front of you."

No one had ever addressed the infarction in such terms. For the second time in two days, House felt completely speechless. He could only move closer and bury his head in her shoulder in response. Cameron wrapped her arms around him and caressed his back soothingly.

"I never loved you because you are damaged. But if you still think so, it's alright. We are same now. In a way I'm damaged too now and this bad cut on my forehead will surely leave a scar which will take some time to fade," she remarked, sadness evident in her voice.

"Don't say that. I was wrong about the whole damaged thing. And Chase's right. A foiled rape shouldn't be _the_ reason I come to terms with my feelings for you. Can you forgive me?"

Cameron knew pretty well that House imploring someone for forgiveness was something one would witness once in a blue moon. "There's nothing to forgive if you tell me again," she nibbled tenderly at his lips.

"I love you so much Allison."

"I'm glad," she kissed him again and then moaned in regret as she pulled back and trudged towards the attached bathroom. "I need to get ready now if I don't wanna be late for work."

"By the way, why don't you answer your question?" House hollered out.

Cameron cocked back her head into the bedroom, frowning. "Oh that…Like I mentioned before, I don't have a second bed. I didn't want you to spend your first night at my place on my couch," she replied with a quirk of the eyebrow. "Besides if there's anyone I can trust blindly apart from you, it's Chase. He's been wonderful to me."

"What has touched you the most?"

She lifted her gaze from the floor to meet his eyes. "When I called him for help, he hung up to phone the police and then he called me back and kept talking to me all the way till there," she told him and then shook her head trying to clear her mind of unpleasant images. She grinned at him. "You know everything you wanted to know? Can I go now?"

House nodded at Cameron, who disappeared once more into the bathroom. He lay back in bed and sighed contentedly, a small idea already taking shape at the back of his mind. He pushed it aside for the moment and whisked Cameron's pillow to cradle it in his arms. It was then that he realised that the sweet strawberry scent was due to the shampoo they had used last night. Oh his hair must be smelling the same, he thought, shaking his head. He did not mind though. Now that Cameron was his, nothing else mattered.

-!-


	5. Announcements

Thank you everyone, you've made me so happy :)

I started my post grad studies on 10 Nov and I've hopping around doing lab work like mad since then. I started writing this chapter three days ago. As much as it was easy to write the first three chapters, this one gave me a very hard time. My apologies if it comes out crappy and crammed.

-!-

"Hi."

Chase lifted his gaze from the magazine he was reading. "Hi," he greeted Cameron back and then shot a glance at the clock on the wall, "Oh didn't realise the time. Be there in five minutes."

Cameron plopped herself next to him onto the couch. "Don't bother. No new case today. Foreman's gone to the clinic and House's talking to Cuddy."

"I'm sure he's not talking, more like annoying or pestering her," he commented as he tried to stifle a yawn with his palm without much success.

"At what time did your ICU shift begin?"

"Been here since four."

"Poor baby," she cooed and then handed him the newspaper she has taken from the diagnostics room. "Hope this can make you feel better."

"Hey thanks."

He brightened immediately. She watched with amusement as he went directly for the back pages, his eyes swiftly scanning through the articles. He soon found what he was looking for and started scribbling right away. In three minutes flat, the crossword was finished and he eased back into the couch, tossing the newspaper aside as he closed his eyes with a self-satisfied smile.

Cameron was impressed to say the least. "Wow, I had figured out only four. You are good. Nerd."

Chase's eyes snapped open upon hearing the brusque edge in her voice at that last word and he threw a cautious look on his right but then relaxed when he saw her grinning. She was only teasing him. He smiled back at her and a comfortable silence settled in for some time before she said shyly, "Didn't get to say this before. I can never thank you enough for everything you've done."

With a little shake of the head, he replied, "That's alright Allison."

Before any thought could deter her, Cameron chugged off her heels, bringing her feet up under her and leaned into Chase to place her head on his shoulder. After the slightest of hesitations, his left arm wrapped around her, his right hand gently massaging her nape as his cheek found a resting position against her head.

"I could get used to this," he heard her mumble after a long while.

His hand stilled on her back. "What did you say?"

She got up, stumbling a few steps away from him, worried that she has gone too far too fast. Cursing herself under her breath for sounding needy, wishing she could take back her words and already dreading that her coming words would be brushed aside, she turned to face him and uttered them nonetheless. "I said…I could get used to us being friends…outside work, of you taking care of me, of you being my best friend."

"I'd surely let you down at some point. I'm not best friend material."

Neither the slightly bewildered look on his face nor the small, embarrassed chortle he gave out were anything she did not expect but the candid opinion about himself caught her off guard somewhat. "That's for me to decide. You mind giving it a try with me?"

There was no hesitation whatsoever this time on his part. "Not at all," he replied smoothly but something caught his eye then. "What's changed? You look different."

Cameron's foremost reaction was to marvel at his insight and this only served to cement her belief in him. But this rapidly gave way to a sense of discomfort. It was most definitely not the best way to begin this new stage in their friendship with a lie. But she could not tell him the truth either. She was yet to consult House as to whether they would keep their affair concealed from everyone's scrutiny. Either way, she would go with what he decided.

"I can't tell you anything right now. But definitely later on okay?"

He considered her answer for a few seconds before nodding, "Okay."

His eyes remained on her, the warmth she found in them suddenly causing chills to run down her spine; her short sleeves and her missing coat accentuating the icy feeling due to the cold morning. In an attempt to warm herself up, her hands glided over her arms and she flashed a cheeky smile in his direction. "Can I…"

Chase laughed softly. "Come here."

As she resumed her seat next to him, she was drawn close into his arms. She could not help thinking how a horde of girls would kill to be in her shoes right now. "So who's the lucky one you're seeing for the moment?"

-!-

Overwhelmed did not even begin to describe the way Cameron was feeling. As she waited for Chase to come back in the doctors' lounge room with her cup of coffee, she let the events of the past two days sweep through her mind, a few images standing out as she closed her eyes. The day, which had begun so well in the diagnostics room, had suddenly turned into a nightmare as the assailant had surprised her from behind in that house. Never in her life before had had she been that scared as she lay trapped under him. When he had momentarily let go of her wrists for his hands to hover over her thighs, in a last-ditch effort, she had seized a lamp on the nightstand to strike him with it. She would never forget the security she had found in Chase's arms nor Cuddy's kind gesture in the exam room. Cuddy, Chase, Wilson, Foreman andHouse all coming to her house to check on her touched her more than she would ever be able to say. The following day, many of the hospital staff, some of whom she did not even know, had approached her with compassionate words. She had insisted on coming to work but the intensity of the various hues of emotions she had gone through in such a short span had left her completely drained out, prompting her to rush home to bury her head in her pillow. But House had other plans for her. God, from the moment he had appeared on her doorstep to the time they had left together for work that morning, each gesture, each word, each glance, each thought, each kiss, each moan was worth writing a chapter about. She could not help but stare blatantly when he had stripped down; he was so handsome, so beautiful and so manly… Every pore of her being was still shuddering with pleasure from his ministrations in the shower and the lovemaking. And then waking up to find him still in her bed was unquestionably one of the biggest highs of her life. Not even in her wildest dreams was House ever that open about his feelings. And of course the biggest high of all was his genuine, sincere profession of love declared not once but twice. Her eyes suddenly widened as the realisation hit her. In her hazy, light-headed state she had missed something important that morning…

Chase's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Cuddy and House want to see us in his office in five minutes."

"Coming."

-!-

Cameron and Chase strode into House's office and took their seats next to each other. Foreman came in next. Wilson was the last one to arrive. Cuddy standing and House sitting both behind his desk in such proximity without them tearing off each other's hair greatly impressed him. "The King and Queen of Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital surrounded by their subjects," he remarked in a grave voice, the twinkling of his eyes behind his bushy eyebrows giving him away though.

"Hey I liked that. Definitely the King," House wagged a finger towards Wilson but then made a face and flashed a furtive glance in the direction of Cameron, who fought back a smile, "but she's not my Queen. More like my…commander-in-chief."

Pouting, Cuddy hit him hard on the shoulder. "Why can't I be the Queen?"

"Because…" he shrugged as if this was the most obvious answer. "Can we not waste time on trivial things and get down to my announcements? Oops I mean our announcements," he corrected when he saw her glaring at him.

"Let's start with the taxing one. Cameron got a call this morning from the cops. They've arrested someone. A guy living across that street apparently. He saw her going in through the front door, which she had locked it. So he tried the back door. I'm glad they've tracked down that piece of shit." Cuddy felt silent, breathing in deeply to regain her composure and then continued, "What I'm going to tell you next is what House actually would want to say but he cannot bring himself to do so because he's a dumbass." In the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of him pretending to doze off in his chair. "You three are excellent doctors in your fields and yet he treats you badly – making you do the lab tests that the technicians should be doing—"

"Does it mean we won't be required to do that anymore?" Foreman interjected hopefully.

House peeked open his eyes. "You do know I know how much you _love_ lab work. You really think I'm gonna give up the one thing I can torture you with?" He earned a roll of the eyes from Foreman in return. "But," he continued in a more conciliatory tone, "The snooping around in patients' homes will be over soon for all three of you. I'll get it done by someone else. It should have stopped a long time back."

The other five doctors, particularly Foreman, realised with a start that House was referring to him who had been infected with a parasite when he had gone to take samples from a cop's house a few months ago. Foreman had almost died and it had been a harrowing time for everyone. Somehow, it was House's way of alluding to the fact that he had been affected too.

"It'll have to be someone with a medical background, isn't it?" Chase opined.

"I know a retired doctor who's now a private investigator. House, him and me are in the process of working out the modalities," Cuddy informed him.

She was about to move to the next matter when House tugged at her hand. "Got something to announce too, which will please some of you and piss some of you but as usual I give a damn," he stood up and paused dramatically. "I love Allison and as from last night – this morning – whatever – she and I are an _item,_" he concluded, his bright blue eyes panning across the room to size up everyone's reaction.

For some five seconds, no one risked a reaction as Cuddy, Wilson, Chase and Foreman waited to see if he was down to one of his tricks and fooling them around as per his habits. However, when their eyes met with a poker-faced House, who betrayed absolutely no emotion, the next logical step was to turn towards Cameron. They watched as a small smile crept onto her face, which grew into a full-toothed grin as she gazed lovingly at him. Any doubt still subsiding vanished with the tinge of pink colouring her cheeks.

Everything happened at once after that. Wilson let out a loud 'Yes finally!' throwing his arms up in the air. Chase placed a hand on Cameron's arm, whispering, "Now I know. After-sex glow." Cameron momentarily stopped fixing House to glance sideways at Chase, offering him a big smile.

"I was in the room the last time I think you said that sincerely to someone," Cuddy's voice came out unusually soft as she spoke to House, "Seven years ago. I thought I'd never hear you say that again." Her gaze lingered a while over his face before she looked at Cameron and then back at him. "This chance has come at a very high price. Don't-screw-this-up," she intoned each word with a poke of the index finger in his chest.

"I'll try," he replied, his voice lacking the ever-present sarcasm that he reserved for Cuddy. But then he realised someone had not yet voiced out his opinion. "Are you going to add something?"

"If Cameron's happy, I'm happy," was Foreman's simple, slightly rushed reply. House narrowed his eyes at him, not contented with his answer. Before he could throw something snarky at him, Cameron sauntered over to stand directly opposite him, his desk in between them.

"My turn now. I said everything but the most important thing this morning. I love you too Greg," she enthused.

He beamed his happiness and pleasant surprise with the largest, scariest, goofiest grin possible and Cuddy nearly tilted back in a mixture of horror and fascination. House was behaving like some love struck clown and making absolutely no attempt to hide it. What on earth has Cameron done to him? As far as she was concerned, Cuddy could have stood there till dusk to enjoy this rare visual treat but she doubted the board directors with whom she had a meeting in a few minutes would be of the same opinion. All but willingly, she cleared her throat to regain everyone's attention. "Dr Chase I'm giving you one week off as from next Monday."

"I've not asked for any vacations. I don't understand," Chase murmured.

Cuddy smiled at him. "Let's just say it's mostly House and a little bit of me, well it's our way of thanking you for taking such good care of—"

"My girl," House finished with a smirk. "She told me everything you did."

The slightest touch of gratefulness underlying in his voice was not lost onto Chase. He mumbled a discreet thank you in his direction with a slightly sceptical look.

"Last, you're all invited to Cameron's place on Sunday. Wilson and Cameron will cook us dinner."

Wilson eyed House warily, clearly noting that just like him Cameron had not been consulted beforehand. "While you sit your ass in front of the TV?"

House made a balancing act with his hands. "You prefer me throwing pieces of meat at you in her pristine kitchen or quietly sipping a beer in front of my shows?" He sneered at Wilson, knowing well the latter was about to buckle under his logic.

Indeed, Wilson sighed dejectedly. "Right. Although I doubt you'll be quiet."

"Don't worry. Chase, Foreman and me will come early to help you two around and to keep him in check," Cuddy pointed towards House and then clapped her hands. "Alright everyone back to work."

Foreman and Chase left right away, followed by Cuddy who was out the door when House yelled at the top of his lungs, "Cameron, just because you're fucking the boss, doesn't mean you can shirk away from your duties of bringing me my coffee." Cuddy paused long enough to shoot a disapproving glare towards House before moving away, silently wishing Cameron good luck to cope with him.

"House…" Would he ever stop behaving like a four-year old brat? Wilson asked himself in exasperation for the five thousand seven hundred and sixty ninth time in his life, but then perked up when Cameron sashayed back from the diagnostics room with his coffee in hand, a sweet smile adorning her face. "Lunch?" He would ensure the other doctor remained hungry till he dished out something juicy and spicy about their night _and_ morning spent together.

House gave a little nod, vaguely aware of Wilson's retreating form as he stared at that of Cameron in awe.

-!-

Back in high school when she was sixteen, Cameron had spent one hour in front of the mirror the day before the annual yearbook photo, trying out different smiles in order to find the most appropriate one. Her elder brother had teased her to no ends but back then she had no idea that one day this would help her out. The one she was currently wearing said _I'm not pissed off but you'll have to come get me_. Cameron understood that House was testing her; he was trying to tell her that most of the times things would not be rosy between them and that the possibility of their private matters being flung in front of everyone was high. Nevertheless she could not let him escape unscathed. Now that she looked back, her decision to torture him a bit was right. She struggled hard to keep herself from bursting into laughter. She had chosen a seat at the diagnostics table to do some paperwork knowing well that House would have a clear view of her. He had been staring, _really_ staring, at her for the past ten minutes but she had not graced him with a glance at all.

House felt like an idiot. He could not believe he was surprised that Cameron was not surprised. She did not even flinch. Of course she would not fucking flinch! Compared to all the kind of things he told her over the past three years, that jibe was like a stroll in a park. She was not paying any attention to him. Fuck, she was mean. He could not take it anymore. He rose from his seat and limped through the connecting door, coming to stand just across her, tapping his cane on the floor.

Since he had made the first move to come to her, she supposed she could say something. Neutral sounded good. "I know Foreman and Chase appreciate this private investigator thing as much as I do."

"Enjoy my thoughtfulness till it lasts."

Her head remained bent over her papers and House grew even more impatient, if that was possible. Time for Plan B. "Go out with me tonight."

A real sense of doubt clouded her features for the first time ever since she awoke that morning. It was not hard to guess towards what her thoughts were headed at that moment. After all, he had done a pretty good job at putting her off during that calamitous dinner date. "On a date hoping that it's nothing like the second one and everything like the first one," he stated in earnest.

So he did consider the Monster Truck Rally as a date. Their conversation prior to the outing replayed in her mind.

_You asking me to go with you? Sure. Sounds good. Like a…date? Exactly. Except for the 'date' part._

Again, House anticipated the crooked smile. "I liked you since the very first few weeks you started working here. Till it was a one-sided thing, it was fine. Once I got wind of your feelings for me, I had to push you away," he clarified but then shook his head in disbelief. He, the man who believed in a few laconic swear words, was being so verbose and felt a compulsive need to justify his actions. Definitely something to do with that damn shampoo, he reckoned.

Her eyes finally met his when she stood up, realising that House talking about his feelings was surely a big effort on his part. "We going where?" Her hands ran up and down his broad chest, her own heart missing a beat at the sensation of his heart throbbing furiously against her palms.

Relief flooded him. "Surprise. I strongly suggest you wear your jean skirt, that black and red spaghetti-strapped tank top and that black sandal of yours."

Cameron started laughing, thoroughly amused by the detailing. He must have gone through her things that morning when she was not looking. "I presume you're not taking me to a restaurant," she rolled her eyes at her. "With you I've learnt to expect the unexpected."

House's lips curved into a smirk and as if to adduce to what she had just said, he seized her shoulders and spun her round such that anyone coming in through the door would have a view of his back before anything else. Locking eyes with her, he undid the first three buttons on her blouse and parted her collar aside to gingerly slide his fingers over her shoulder blade where the faint outline of the bite mark still remained.

"I love you," her voice quivered at being able to say what she had buried for so long in her heart for a second time, knowing this was only the beginning of a long series.

House cupped her face, brushing her lips tenderly with his own and then pulled her into a deep embrace. "Love you too. No one's gonna hurt you again." That was one promise he was definitely gonna live up to. "Ever."

-!-

I don't wanna stretch this story beyond the main idea. But any suggestion as to how I can add 1-2 more chapters is welcome. Else, this will be the last chapter. Till another chapter (or more likely another story), take care and goodbye!


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